Chapter 679: An Uninvited Guest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 679: An Uninvited Guest
"Abubu! Abu! Abu!"
Yeon-woo continued his adorable babbling.
"Right, right! Da-da! Daddy’s here! Daddy!"
Sun-woo beamed, a wide, goofy grin spreading across his face as he watched Yeon-woo. No matter how much he looked, he never grew tired of the child's cuteness; the smile simply formed on its own.
"Kyahaaa!"
Perhaps finding Sun-woo’s expression amusing, Yeon-woo burst into a clear, joyful laugh.
"Hehehehehe!"
Seeing his son’s laughter, Sun-woo’s own grin widened even further. He looked like a complete fool—a total "son-fool," to be precise. It was a sight that left no room for any other description.
"Do you like him that much?"
A sharp, piercing voice suddenly cut through the air, reaching Sun-woo’s ears. He slowly turned his head toward the source of the voice.
There stood Bukgung Yeon, a peerless beauty with hair as white as fallen snow.
"I love him soooooo much."
Sun-woo replied, his goofy smile still firmly in place. He was happy. Beyond happy. Yeon-woo was his own flesh and blood, his own kin. How could he not be overjoyed?
Moreover, Yeon-woo, who took after Bukgung Yeon’s stunning features, possessed a transcendent cuteness that no child actor could ever hope to match. It was a situation where fatherly love couldn't help but overflow.
"If you love him that much, why did you completely forget our Yeon-woo even existed?"
Sun-woo had a history of completely blanking on the existence of both her and the child once before.
"..........."
Sun-woo shut his mouth tight at her stinging words. He couldn't argue because she was absolutely right.
".....I’ll... do better... Yeon."
Sun-woo managed to speak, his expression awkward. At this point, the only thing he could say was that he would do better in the future. Anything else would just sound like a pathetic excuse.
"Don't just do better for me; do better for Yeon-woo."
Bukgung Yeon spoke in a calm tone. She didn't mind for herself. She felt that if it were a superior male like Sun-woo, she could tolerate him being distracted by other women. But forgetting his own child was a different story. That was something that should never happen, no matter what.
"I'll do better for both of you...... for you and for Yeon-woo."
"Hmph, you certainly have a way with words."
Bukgung Yeon replied as if pouting, but the corners of her lips began to curl upward slightly. She didn't actually dislike Sun-woo’s smooth talk.
It was while they were bickering playfully over Yeon-woo that it happened.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, the sound of someone knocking on the door drifted in from outside.
"Who is it?" Sun-woo asked, looking puzzled. He wondered who could be visiting at such an hour.
"It is I, my lord."
A familiar woman's voice answered from the other side.
"Ah, come in."
Recognizing the voice, Sun-woo immediately gave her permission to enter.
Creeeeeak.
The door slowly swung open, and an elegant noblewoman revealed herself. It was Madam Un Ga-ryeo.
"I greet my lord."
She offered a polite bow as she looked at Sun-woo.
"Ah, welcome."
Sun-woo acknowledged her greeting with a soft tone.
"It is good to see you as well, Lady Bukgung."
After greeting Sun-woo, Un Ga-ryeo gave a slight nod toward Bukgung Yeon.
"Good to see you, Madam Un."
Bukgung Yeon also returned the greeting lightly. It seemed they had agreed to address each other as "Lady" and "Madam."
"What brings you here?" Sun-woo asked, his expression curious. He wondered what business brought her here so late at night.
"A letter has arrived from the Cheonmu Alliance."
"A letter?"
Sun-woo’s expression turned questioning. Why a letter all of a sudden?
"Yes, here it is..."
At Sun-woo’s prompt, Un Ga-ryeo pulled a letter from her robes. Sun-woo reached out and took the offered missive.
Shhhhk.
He unfurled the letter and began to read it carefully to see what it contained. Soon, Sun-woo’s expression shifted, becoming incredibly serious. It seemed something quite troublesome had arisen.
"What does it say to make you look like that?"
Seeing his expression, Bukgung Yeon asked curiously.
"Tang Jin-seol is coming."
"Tang Jin-seol?"
Bukgung Yeon asked back, looking confused. She didn't seem to know who that was.
"Tang Jin-seol is Lady Seo-yoon’s older sister," Un Ga-ryeo whispered softly to Bukgung Yeon from the side.
"And why is that a problem?"
Bukgung Yeon asked, still not understanding. Why would he look so grave just because his wife's family was visiting?
"The story is... a bit complicated..."
Un Ga-ryeo replied with an awkward expression. If she were to list all the grudges involved, there would be no end to it.
"She’s an enemy. She tried to kill me."
Sun-woo summarized his relationship with Tang Jin-seol so that Bukgung Yeon could understand.
"So she’s a woman who deserves to be struck down."
Bukgung Yeon’s face turned icy as she spoke. A woman who tried to kill her one and only husband—that was all the explanation she needed.
"Sigh... It looks like I won't be able to see Yeon-woo for a while."
Sun-woo let out a small sigh.
"Why?" Bukgung Yeon asked, puzzled.
"I think I need to take acting lessons from Ga-ryeo and Seo-yoon."
"Acting lessons?"
"Right now, my identity within the Tang Clan is Tang Jin-cheol. To make sure Tang Jin-seol doesn't suspect anything, I have to act perfectly like him."
"How tedious."
Bukgung Yeon frowned slightly. She didn't like making things so complicated when they could just kill the woman now that she was coming to the Tang Clan.
"Can't you just kill her since she's coming here anyway?"
Bukgung Yeon spoke those chilling words as if they were nothing. In her mind, threatening Sun-woo was more than enough reason to deserve death.
"No, I won't kill her."
Sun-woo spoke with a firm, resolute expression.
"Why not!?"
"I intend to make her suffer more."
Sun-woo spoke in a calm tone. Killing her would be too easy. He could use the Formless Shadow Stealth Technique to slit her throat without anyone knowing. But he didn't want that. He wanted to inflict greater pain upon her. She was the one who had incited the other wives to try and assassinate him. How could he grant such a woman a peaceful end?
She needed to be shamed. She needed to experience disgrace. He wanted to give her a life filled with shame and ignominy that was worse than death.
"Ho..."
Hearing Sun-woo’s words, Bukgung Yeon’s eyes sparkled as she let out an exclamation of admiration. She had secretly felt that Sun-woo was a bit soft because of his kindness. Seeing this cold side of him brought a smile to her face. To her, he seemed like the ideal man, possessing both compassion and ruthlessness.
"How are you going to get your revenge?" she asked curiously.
"I'll tell you later. When Yeon-woo isn't around."
Sun-woo glanced at Yeon-woo as he spoke.
"So, in any case, I can't deal with her myself?" Bukgung Yeon asked calmly.
"I have no intention of doing that yet," Sun-woo replied with a nod.
"That's a shame."
Bukgung Yeon looked genuinely disappointed. She felt that if he only gave the word, she could go and kill the woman herself. But since he said he was keeping her alive for revenge, she had no choice but to understand.
"Yeon-woo, Daddy has to go now."
Mwah, mwah, mwah.
Sun-woo kissed Yeon-woo’s chubby cheeks.
"Kyahaaaa!"
Yeon-woo giggled and beamed. Sun-woo handed the smiling child back to Bukgung Yeon.
"Here, take Yeon-woo."
Grab.
Bukgung Yeon took the child into her arms.
"Are you leaving already?" she asked, looking regretful.
"I'll come back later tonight."
Sun-woo gently stroked her hair.
"......Alright."
Bukgung Yeon eventually conceded. She couldn't hold back someone who had to leave.
"Ga-ryeo, let's go."
Sun-woo spoke to Un Ga-ryeo and began walking toward the door.
"Understood, my lord."
Un Ga-ryeo nodded and followed closely behind him.
Creeeeeak.
Thud.
The door closed, and the two figures vanished completely. Bukgung Yeon stared silently at the door where they had disappeared.
*
"Senior, is your cheek alright?"
Baek Dang-gi asked as he looked at Tang Hun.
"It's fine," Tang Hun replied calmly.
"Really?" Dang-gi asked skeptically.
"Hasn't it already been seven days and nights? That's plenty of time for it to heal."
"Then why are you still wearing bandages?"
Dang-gi asked curiously. It seemed strange to keep the bandages on if the wound was healed.
"Don't worry about it," Tang Hun replied curtly.
"If you're not fully recovered, why don't you rest a bit more?"
"I told you I'm fine. You're making me out to be some kind of invalid."
"Workaholism is a disease, Senior," Dang-gi said, shaking his head.
It had been a week since Tang Hun had been beaten by the advance party until his skin was raw. During that time, Tang Hun had taken leave to recuperate, as his injuries were severe enough to require it. Yet, he had suddenly returned after only a week, wrapped in bandages. He was a textbook workaholic. If he had been given special leave, he should have known how to rest. Why did he insist on coming back like this, especially when his body wasn't fully mended? It made no sense.
"It's not workaholism. I am simply fulfilling my duty," Tang Hun said firmly.
"Isn't that sense of duty what got you into that state in the first place?" Dang-gi chided him.
He had tried to have a power struggle with the advance party and ended up with his face mangled. What kind of "sense of duty" was that?
"But didn't I protect it?"
"Protect what?!"
"The pride of the Tang Clan."
"Does pride put food on the table?" Dang-gi asked, exasperated.
"Both you and I are martial artists who carry the Tang name. Is the honor of the Tang Clan not our own honor as well?"
".......You really do love the Tang Clan, Senior."
"It is the clan where I was born and raised. If I do not love it, who will?"
A faint smile touched Tang Hun’s lips. Seeing this, Dang-gi stared blankly. The smile on the usually stoic Tang Hun was both awkward and fascinating. But at the same time, a sense of respect welled up within him for this magnificent martial artist who lived so devotedly for the sake of the clan.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Just then, heavy footsteps reached their ears. The two men turned their gaze forward.
They saw a massive man walking toward the main gate of the Tang Clan. The man was extraordinary. He was a giant, easily over seven feet tall, with muscles so bulging they were visible through his clothes. His face was rugged and weathered. Above all, an inexplicable pressure began to radiate from him with every step—a pressure so intense it made their skin crawl.
"Wh... who are you?"
Tang Hun asked, his voice laced with tension. He was overwhelmed by the aura the man emitted.
"Eon Jung-gi."
The man replied calmly.
"The world calls me the Fist King."
The massive man, Eon Jung-gi, spoke with a playful smile.
"Would you be so kind as to let me in?"
Eon Jung-gi spoke with a very polite tone. He was completely different from his nephew, Lee Jae-sun.
"D-do you have an invitation?"
Tang Hun asked, his face showing his flustered state.
"I have no invitation," Eon Jung-gi replied, shaking his head.
"Then what is the purpose of your visit?"
"I simply wished to come."
"Excuse me?!"
"I just decided that I wanted to be here," Eon Jung-gi said with an amused grin.
"............."
The two gate guards looked at each other in bewilderment. They were at a loss as to how to handle this.
"P-please wait a moment. I will send word to my superiors."
Tang Hun spoke cautiously.
"You say interesting things. Are you forcing me, the Head of the Eon Family, to wait?"
Eon Jung-gi’s smile turned predatory. Simultaneously, a terrifying Fighting Spirit began to pour from his body.
"Guh... ugh..."
"Kh... ugh..."
Exposed to that Fighting Spirit, the two gate guards groaned in agony. The massive pressure he exerted was more than they could bear.
"I ask again. Must I wait?"
Eon Jung-gi met their eyes with a burning gaze.
"......Y-y-you... must wait."
Tang Hun managed to squeeze the words out through trembling lips. Even while overwhelmed by the massive Fighting Spirit, he did not forget his duty.
"Even if you die?"
"........It is... the Clan Law.... If it is... not kept... then it has... no meaning."
Tang Hun stared at Eon Jung-gi with bloodshot eyes as he spoke.
"Pfft... Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"
Hearing his words, Eon Jung-gi burst into a loud laugh. He didn't dislike the guard's display of spirit. He instantly withdrew the Fighting Spirit he had been emitting.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
The two men began to breathe raggedly. The immense pressure that had been crushing their hearts had vanished in an instant.
"So it was you. The Tang Clan gate guard who was slapped by my nephew."
Eon Jung-gi spoke with an amused expression.
"You have spirit. I think I understand what kind of place the Tang Clan is now."
Eon Jung-gi smiled deeply. He seemed genuinely pleased to have met a real man after a long time.
"I shall wait. Go and send word."
Eon Jung-gi stood there with a relaxed smile.